The change within

Alex didn't sleep much after that.

He spent the early hours of the morning pacing his room, heart thudding, jaw clenched. The feeling was back—that uncomfortable hunger, not in his stomach, but somewhere deeper. Something was waking up inside him, scratching at the walls of his sanity, begging to be let out.

He stood in front of the mirror again. His eyes weren't just brighter—they shimmered, like molten silver under the light. His canines? Longer. Sharper. The faintest pressure on his gums revealed retractable points, not natural teeth.

He hissed under his breath and pulled back. "What the hell did I drink...?"

He sat on the edge of his bed and took out his notebook. It was where he always scribbled formulas, equations, and chemistry notes. But now, he turned to a blank page and wrote one word:

Mutation?

Below it, he began listing symptoms.

Heightened senses

Physical enhancement

Sensitivity to light

Nightmares/visions

Retractable fangs

Healing (scar gone)

Blood hunger?

He underlined the last one twice.

---

By noon, Alex couldn't take it anymore. He messaged Adam.

ALEX: Need to talk. Urgent.

ADAM: About last night? You're freaking me out, bro.

ALEX: Meet me at the woods near Whitmoor Bridge. 4PM.

ADAM: Sounds creepy. I'm in.

---

The woods were quiet when Alex got there. Cold wind blew between the trees, rustling the leaves like whispers. Alex paced nervously until Adam arrived, wearing a hoodie and his usual overconfident smirk.

"You look like crap," Adam said. "You sure you didn't just catch the flu?"

Alex didn't answer immediately. He waited until Adam was close enough, then pulled down the collar of his shirt and opened his mouth slightly to show the tips of the fangs.

Adam recoiled. "Holy sh—"

"I told you something's wrong," Alex said.

"Wrong?" Adam looked around, then whispered, "Dude, are you turning into a vampire?"

"I don't know! I didn't die. I didn't get bitten. I drank something in that lab. It had blood, chemicals... and that inscription. Drink and become a hero."

Adam sat on a tree stump and dragged his hands down his face. "This is insane. I mean, yeah, the lab was creepy as hell, but I thought maybe Mr. Sabastin was just a mad scientist, not a—what—vampire king? Blood wizard?"

"I've been dreaming of a throne, Adam. Of people kneeling to me. Of fire. I think... I think whatever I drank is rewriting my DNA."

"And that doesn't scare you?" Adam asked.

"It terrifies me," Alex said. "But it also... feels like I was meant for this."

Adam exhaled and nodded slowly. "Okay. So what's the plan? You gonna start drinking pig's blood? Hunt squirrels?"

"I need to know more," Alex said. "And that means going back into the lab."

Adam blinked. "Tonight?"

Alex nodded. "Tonight."

---

That evening, Alex told his mum he was sleeping at Adam's again. She smiled, ruffled his hair, and told him to be safe.

Safe. If only she knew.

By midnight, they were back outside Whitmoor College. The school grounds were still. The moon hung low, casting silver light over the old stone buildings. They climbed through the broken fence near the gym and used the back window near the science block. Alex moved quietly, but his movements felt different—like his muscles anticipated every step, every creak in the wood.

They reached Mr. Sabastin's office. The door was still locked, but Adam had come prepared with a bent wire hanger. After some fidgeting, the lock clicked open.

They slipped inside.

The lab was cold and darker than before. The holographic stand flickered to life again—still glowing blue with unknown data scrolling past. The place smelled faintly of iron and ash.

Alex moved past the shelves, running his fingers along the vials, jars, and strange notes.

"Look," Adam said, pointing at the far wall.

Alex turned.

The vault. The heavy steel door sat in the wall like the mouth of a monster. This time, it was slightly ajar.

Alex moved toward it instinctively, drawn to it.

Inside, the room was dimly lit by old gas lamps. Books lined the walls—ancient books. Symbols from dead languages carved into the stone. In the center of the room stood a pedestal, and on it, a journal.

Alex picked it up.

It was old. Leather-bound. It crackled as he opened it. The first page read:

"Blood Monarch Trials – Sabastin Dane, Year 20XX"

Adam stepped beside him. "Wait. Dane? Like... your last name?"

Alex froze.

"No," he whispered. "That can't be..."

He flipped through the pages. The writing inside described stages of transformation, formulas for enhanced blood, and names. So many names. Subjects. Failures.

But one name was circled several times: Alexander Dane.

"I think this was all meant for you," Adam said quietly. "You didn't just find that vial. He left it there. For you."

Alex's head spun. His heart pounded.

Suddenly, a voice echoed from behind.

Absolutely. Here's a rewritten continuation of the ending of Chapter Five, incorporating your line and maintaining the dramatic tone and flow:

Suddenly, a voice echoed from behind them.

"You were never meant to rush this."

They turned sharply.

Mr. Sabastin stood in the doorway, silhouetted by the pale light seeping in from the hallway. His figure was motionless, his eyes faintly glowing red, as if alive with embers. The shadows behind him seemed to twist unnaturally, crawling along the walls like living things.

Alex felt a cold rush slide down his spine. His instincts screamed at him to run. His legs nearly bolted—until a firm hand gripped his arm.

It was Adam.

"Wait," Adam whispered, leaning close to Alex's ear. "Let's hear what he has to say…"

Alex jerked slightly, incredulous. "Are you serious? Look at him!" he hissed under his breath. "He's not even human anymore!"

Sabastin stepped into the room slowly, his footsteps silent but heavy with presence. "You have questions. I have answers. You came here for truth, and now you stand at its threshold."

Alex's jaw clenched. He glanced down at the ancient journal still in his hand—his name circled again and again in Sabastin's writing.

"This is insane," Alex said, louder now, the heat rising in his chest. "You're a liar! That's all you are. A twisted scientist playing god, trying to brainwash kids!"

He flung the book at Sabastin's feet.

"I'm not your experiment. I'm not your puppet. Let's go, Adam."

But Sabastin didn't flinch. Instead, he smiled—slowly, knowingly.

"You can leave if you want, Alexander," he said. "But you cannot outrun your blood."

The shadows behind him pulsed once, like a heartbeat.

Alex took a step back.

His mind was screaming, confused and shaken, but one thing was clear—Sabastin wasn't done. And neither was Alex's transformation.

Not by a long shot.